The Beat of Your Heart
by SwiftDragonfly
Summary: Haruhi's friend, Sae, encourages her to sing, even though she's horrible. Haruhi is too blind to see her friend's passion for her, and refuses to sing. With the twin's mischief it works out. Haruhixoc, ONE SHOT!


**Author's Note:** Once again, another little one shot from a long time ago... this one is kinda weird, but pretty sweet too.

**Summary:** Haruhi's friend, Sae, encourages her to sing, even though she's horrible. Haruhi is too blind to see her friend's passion for her, and refuses to sing. With the twin's mischief it works out.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Ouran High School Host Club, and I actually don't own Sae either. This was a request from a long time ago.

**A Haruhi Fujioka One Shot**

_The Sound of Your Heart_

_You've changed so much,  
_

_Since we were kids.  
_

_Why do I see you differently now?_

"Haruhiiiiii!" I called, knocking on her door louder. Kyouya was waiting in his limo, patiently waiting for us to return. The devilish twins, Kaoru and Hikaru, invited the entire host club to their house for a sleep over. Since my Dad was working and my siblings were busy doing whatever they were doing, mine and Haruhi's Dad wouldn't be able to drive us there, Kyouya offered us a ride to the Hitachiin mansion.

Truthfully, I was a bit nervous. Being with Haruhi always made me smile and make my heart soar, but I was always too shy to admit it. Even if I did she'd probably misunderstand me (think I liked her just as a friend) and make me chicken out and not repeat it.

From outside the door, I heard movement inside the apartment and someone coming towards the door. Finally, after a few more minutes of waiting, I saw Haruhi emerge from behind the door. She smiled apologetically as she held onto her small blue bag containing the things she needed for the sleepover.

"Gomenasai, Sae-chan! My father kept repacking my bag for me." She explained bowing slightly. "Sayonara Chichi!" Her angelic voice called to her father, and turned to close the door as my cheeks turned back to normal from blushing. She was wearing loose fitting navy blue jeans and a plain black shirt, not bothering to wear a jacket since it was so warm.

"You don't have to apologize, Haru-chan. Its alright." I told her smiling and turning bright pink again. "And I thought your dad couldn't give you a ride?" I asked as we started walking back towards the limo.

"A friend is borrowing the car tonight." She explained.

"Oh." I replied, and when we got to the limo I opened the door for her and let her in first. After she got in I stepped in as well next to her and sat on the soft comfortable seats. As I sat down, the blood rushed to my cheeks when our arms brushed against each other for a mere second, making my heart beat increase.

Kyouya sat across from us, glancing up at us from time to time as we drove to Kaoru and Hikaru's house. If I had seen the smirk on his lips I would have turned even more red. I tried to hide my bright red face, but was failing horribly. After awhile when my face went back to normal, I spoke up.

"A-are you e-excited about this, H-Haru-chan?" I asked her quietly and stuttering. She turned to look at me, and her dark brown eyes looked into mine. If given the chance, I could stare into her eyes all day. Those glossy brown orbs always contained some kind of emotion, and almost always it was kindness. Right now it was annoyance.

"Not exactly, considering I was forced into this." She said looking towards Kyouya. He seemed to not care though, or was just not listening, because he just kept to his laptop on his lap without any change on his face. I frowned slightly, thinking about how Haruhi and I first got sucked into this.

**Host Club after the customers left**

Haruhi and I walked back into the room again after changing into our regular clothes, and found that the other Host Club members were all standing together discussing something. By the sounds of it, it was probably some kind of stupid Host Club event they were planning.

"What's going on?" Haruhi asked them. Honey looked up at us smiling cutely, Tamaki was smiling like an idiot (which he always is), Hikaru and Kaoru were smiling devilishly, Mori stood there not really showing any emotion as usual, and Kyouya was smirking to himself with his clipboard in his hands. Kaoru and Hikaru came up next to us.

"Sleepover at our house!" They both said in unison. I blushed slightly looking down at my feet, and out of the corner of my eye saw Haruhi sulk.

"A sleepover?" She asked, and Tamaki came up to her smiling broadly.

"With our sleepover, Haruhi, we will transform you into the beautiful young lady you are and awaken the maiden inside you!" He said spinning around happily. "Especially since Sae here doesn't have that much of an impact of you with her quietness and all." He said stopping and accusing me, but then went back to spinning and thinking about how he was going to reform Haruhi into a lady. I blushed even more, keeping my eyes at my feet. I didn't like being called shy... but, I was getting used to hearing it from him.

"I-if H-Haruhi-chan's n-not going I-I'm not either," I muttered, but no one heard because Kyouya started speaking.

"Haruhi, if you come to this event I'll reduce your debt by 10."

_You've changed your style,  
_

_You've adapted new friends,  
_

_You've become a better person in many ways._

**Present**

So, that's how we got here.

"We're here." Kyouya stated after awhile. I looked up from my lap, which I had been staring at the whole time, and looked out the window. My eyes widened slightly when I saw their house, their _mansion_. The outside was a light green color, and had a huuuuuge yard and beautiful gardens surrounding it.

"Sae," Kyouya said, and I looked away from the sight and at him. He was already outside, waiting for me to get out so that Haruhi could get out as well. My face heated up again as I quickly got out of the car, and then waited patiently for Haruhi to get out before we all started walking towards the huge house. What awaited in the house of Kaoru of Hikaru? We had no idea, but knew it probably meant trouble for Haruhi.

"Try this on!" Tamaki said holding up cute pink pajamas. They were a fleece nightgown with bunnies covering it. Basically a bigger size of Honeys pajamas, but a nightgown.

"My pajamas are fine!" Haruhi argued, and continued arguing against all of the pajamas Tamaki had lined up. Even through his begging, she refused. While everyone was distracted by this pattern, the Hitachiin twins came up next to me on each shoulder.

"So why is it that whenever you're around Haruhi, you blush," Hikaru started from next to me, making me jump since I didn't notice him.

"But with one of the other Club members," Kaoru said taking my chin with his hand and pulling my face closer to his.

"You don't react as much." Hikaru finished as he pulled my face closer to his. Strangely, they were right. Well, kind of strangely. I did think they were attractive, but

"B-because." I replied turning my head so as to make Hikaru lose his grasp on my face. Only now did my face turn red, and that was because they were talking about Haruhi. The two brothers smirked to each other, seeming to confirm something. My eyes wandered back to Haruhi's extremely annoyed face, making my giggle lightly to myself.

"Tamaki-senpai, I'm already wearing pajamas, why do you insist that I wear another pair? These are fine." She said referring to her clothing. She was wearing loose navy blue pajama pants with a light blue loose top, probably a couple years old. The young Host Club member could wear anything and still make my heart try to break free of my chest. Including old raggy clothing twenty years old. Though I doubt she would.

I, on the other hand, was wearing pink hearted navy blue pants with a plain black shirt with the words 'If you fall, don't fall on me' in red. Tamaki and Mori were wearing simple light blue pajamas with red lining and a few sails here and there. Kyouya, well, just wore black pants and t-shirt. Honey was wearing a pink outfit with bunnies covering it, and the Hitachiin twins were wearing matching bright green pajamas with random mischievous objects covering the pants.

"Lets play a game!" Kaoru and Hikaru suddenly exclaimed together next to Haruhi and Tamaki.

"Excellent! What shall we play!?" Tamaki asked the two identical brothers.

"KAREOKE!!" They both said smiling, and I know that Haruhi sulked even more. From past experiences, I knew that she hated to sing, and for good reasons.

_Why is it that I see you differently?  
_

_You used to be my best friend  
_

_But now...  
_

**4 years ago**

"Haruhi, you want to try out for choir with me!?" I asked her excitedly as we walked down the hall towards our next class. We had practically all the same classes, so I got to see her at least twenty times a day. Then on weekends we'd go to the library to study.

"Um... I don't think so Sae, I'm not really-" She said shaking her head, but I cut her off in an attempt to persuade her otherwise.

"C'mon, the try outs wont effect your grade or anything! It's an after school program!"

"Yeah, but-"

"Please?" I asked her, pouting and jutting out my lower lip.

"Sae-" She started, trying to refuse, but I increased my pouting power. Finally, she caved.

"Next Haruhi Fujioka?" One of the judges asked. She wore her hair up in a high pony tail atop her head, dark brown hair clinging to her back. Her hand reached up and pushed her glasses back, looking up at the stage as Haruhi walked onto it. It looked like there was an earthquake happening, but Haruhi was the only one that felt it or knew about it. She was shaking horribly, somehow not tripping and falling, and was sweating like a pig. When she looked at me, and gave her two thumbs up and a toothy grin.

Her shaking decreased, and she took a deep breath.

She told them the song she was going to sing.

Opened her mouth,

And made everyone gasp...

At how horribly she sang.

Most of the people in the audience covered their ears to protect them, but I kept my hands in my pockets and tried my hardest not to follow their example. In the back I heard a few small children starting to cry. Luckily the judges stopped her quickly, and she ran off the stage towards me (I happened to be on the side of the stage behind the curtain).

"I'm sorry, I know I was bad." She said looking down at her feet, but I smiled at her and made her look at me by blowing a gust of wind at her forehead. Like I mentioned before, her brown eyes always held emotion; now, they held disappointment.

"You gave it your best, and even if they didn't appreciate your music I definitely enjoyed your hearts music. The beating of your heart is the best music everyone produces." I said to her smiling, and she smiled back.

_I see you as more.  
_

_Seeing you now,  
_

_Makes my heart  
_

_Beat against my ribcage._

**Present**

"Yay!" Honey exclaimed happily and hugging his small stuffed animal.

"We're on Haruhi's team!" Both of the brothers said at once, linking their arms with Haruhi's and then bolting off to the room where the game was set up. The room was only a few doors down, so Tamaki-senpai didn't have to chase and scream at them for a very long distance.

"Give me back my daughter!!" As everyone else bolted towards the door, Kyouya and I calmly walked into the room after them.  
_  
I want to tell you how I feel,  
_

_But I barely know myself.  
_  
Everyone seemed to quickly form into teams fairly quickly. The Hitachiin's quickly gave up Haruhi to Tamaki (seemingly just remembered how 'horribly' she sings), seeing as each group had to consist of two people or one. Honey paired with Mori, Kaoru and Hikaru (of course), Tamaki and Haruhi. Kyouya immediately told us he wouldnt play, even against Tamaki's begging.

"Sae, you can be on our team." Haruhi told me kindly and smiling. Blushing, I smiled and nodded.

"No, we want her on our team." Kaoru and Hikaru suddenly said appearing on either side of me. Each of them draped an arm around me, making me frown and make my knees bend slightly from their weight.

"But that makes everything uneven!!" Tamaki exclaimed with anime tears in his eyes.

"I-Its a-alright, I-I dont mind sitting o-out." I said waving my arms in front of me, attempting to stop an unnecessary fight.

"Nonsense!" Tamaki exclaimed, and put a hand on my shoulder. "You'll be on Haruhi and I's team!" He said beaming proudly.

"But you're the one that said teams would be uneven." I said with a sweat drop rolling down the side of my head, and soon everyone had one or more. Suddenly he was in his emo corner.

"She's right, I'm the one that deserves to not play..." He muttered.

"This is ridiculous." Haruhi spoke up. "Kyouya, can't you just play so that we can get this over with?" Suddenly a light bulb lit up above the blond's head, and he jumped up beaming at us.

"Yes! Mother, you and I shall be on a team while Haruhi and Sae team up!" He exclaimed pointing towards Kyouya, and I couldn't help but giggle. Kyouyamother?

He sighed, finally giving into us and teamed up with Tamaki. Smiling, I walked over to her and stood at her side.

"Yay we're on the same team!" I said, and she grinned back.

"Yeah, I much prefer you over the other Host Club members." She said happily, and that made me grin wider and a blush to encase my cheeks once more. "Are you ok?" She asked worriedly as she actually noticed my red face, and felt my forehead.

"I'm fine, Haru-chan." I replied, and then heard someone cough from the small stage and looked up to see Hikaru and Kaoru waiting for us.

"This is how it's going to work; each of us is going to come up here and sing into this microphone, which is hooked up to our PS3 with the karaoke game in it. You read the words off the screen and it'll tell you what you're pitch should be and stuff... we'll have one practice round and then start." They explained, going back and forth.

**Back to 4 years ago**

"Sae Kuromino?" One of the judges asked, and I walked up on stage smiling brightly and acting not nervous. I wasn't nervous, because Haruhi was there to comfort me. And there's no way that I'd sing worse than her.

"Hi! As you might have guessed, I am Sae Kuromino! I'll be singing 'Have You Ever'! By Brandi!" I said, a bit loudly and startling the judges.

"Um... alright then... start whenever you're ready." She said, and she and the other judges whispered something. I only caught the words 'worse' and 'horrible'. But, why didn't I care? Because Haruhi was smiling up at me from the audience. Carefully, I took a deep, and started singing.

**Present**

Ever since then, Haruhi has always been at my concerts and cheered me on. I've always also wished that she'd sing a song with me, but each time I asked she'd distract me with something. Last time it was a piece of gum and its wrapper.

One at a time, everyone started going up on stage and singing. Since it was only a practice round, everyone did a short song. "Haru-chan, pleeeeease sing this with me!" I begged her, my hands clasped together and pouting.

"Yeah, Haru-chan! I'm sure you and Sae-chan will sound great!" Honey exclaimed smiling to us.

"Yes! That would be wonderful!" Tamaki suddenly yelled coming out of nowhere and making me and Haruhi jump.

"Who votes Sae and Haruhi sing a song together!?" Hikaru and Kaoru exclaimed, and everyone except Haruhi raised their hands. I smiled triumphantly to her.

"No, Sae, I'd just make you sound bad." She said shaking her hands in front of her. Taking a deep breath, I put my hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye.

"Remember what I told you four years ago?" I asked her, giving a warm smile.

"That picking your nose makes a baby die somewhere in the world?" She asked, and a sweat drop appeared on my head.

"WHAT!? NUUUUUU!!" Tamaki yelled starting to freak out and run around frantically. This soon resulted in most of the host club either joining him or trying to calm him down. Through the chaos though, I kept concentrated on Haruhi's face.

"No. 'The beating of your heart is the best music anyone produces.' As long as you're on stage with me, you're creating the most beautiful music." I said, and she looked at me shocked. A hint of red crept along her cheeks, making me blush as well. 'She looks so cute!' I thought, still looking into her soft brown eyes. The world seemed to slow down and stop, and the only thing in my mind was Haruhi herself.

Suddenly the world wasn't frozen when someone bumped into me from behind and pushed me into the female Host Club member. She grabbed me out of reflex, to keep me from falling, but our lips locked. Both of us were too surprised to move, but I heard someone screaming in the background about 'kissing my daughter' or something.

Her lips were so soft against mine, though, and it felt so good, that I couldn't possibly pull away if I tried.

"We're sorry My Lord!" One of the twins exclaimed starting to be chased around by the Host club prince.

Carefully, I put more pressureon her lips after closing my eyes. Fearing rejection, I just kept still. Waiting for a response. After a few seconds of nothing, I pulled away to look at her. Both of us were beat red, but I was worse when I couldn't figure out what she was thinking. 'Oh no, that was a huuuuuge mistake! Now she'll never want to be my friend!'

"I-I-I-I-I-I'M sooooooooo s-sorry Haru-chan!!" I exclaimed jumping away from her and starting to shake. But, when she looked at me, the corner of her lips turned upward in a smile.

"It's alright, Sae-chan." She said, continuing to smile and blush. "I-I... think I might... feel the same way." A smile spread across my face as I beaming at her in relief and happiness.

That sentence was the best sentence I had ever heard.

_She didn't hate me.  
_

_She didn't think I was gross.  
_

_She didn't back away or reject me.  
_

_She likes me back.  
_  
I ran over and hugged her, not noticing that most of the Host Club was watching us. The pulsing of her heart was the only thing I was paying attention to, because it was so beautiful. The most beautiful music I had ever heard.


End file.
